We've just got the permit to go to Jerusalem

Called a friend of Franklin from school to come over to play. 

"Oh, we've just got the permit to go to Jerusalem, we may go anytime," his mom answered.

I could feel her excitement even over the phone.  Understood.  Oh, Jerusalem, on the other side of the wall, so close, but so unreachable.  It is only during Christmas and Easter that Palestinian Christians could apply for a permit to go for religious reason.  And it is an opportunity they do not want to miss!

Yes, I can really understand their excitement when they are able to be let out of this "prison" on the other side of the wall. 

But, wait a minute.  Why would they need a permit to go home? 

They owned their land over there on the other side of the wall! 

"You know Hadassah University Medical Center at Ein Kerem?  The big hospital in Jerusalem?  It was built on our family land.  Huge, I still have the deeds of the land from the days of the Ottoman Empire.  Now the Israelis have their hospital there.  And, our family house, they made it into a museum..." his father told me when we visited their home before.

We might have rejoiced when the Jews once again returned to build their home, but for the Palestinians, it was exactly then their home was taken. 

Does it have to be the only way for peoples to have their homes?

Psalms 133:1 See how good and how pleasing it is for brothers to be living together in harmony!

When do we see the day?  Why is it not happening?